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Being aware of the materials you use and avoid will help you work towards better energy efficiency, and also help you save money in the long run. For those of you that are looking for ways to enhance your sustainability, here are 5 simple steps that will help!

1. The Basic Mindset: Mother Nature & Energy
As mentioned above, you can easily run a sustainable home by simply monitoring your energy consumption. It sounds so simple, but without this mindset you will never be able to cut your consumption. The warm and bright spring and summer months allow us all to make drastic heating energy cuts, and should also reduce the amount of energy we use to light your homes. Much as farmers live by the expression ‘make hay while the sun is shining’, sustainable home owners should be making cuts as and when they can. A conscientious mind doesn’t cost a penny and is the most important asset to have.

2. Water Consumption
The problem with cutting water consumption is that we are not going to shower less, or flush the toilet less for that matter. It’s just not going to happen! However, there are ways to maintain our hygiene routines and cut down on our water consumption. Simple steps, such as having a shower instead of a bath will make considerable cuts, and you can also invest in low impact toilet systems which operate on much less water. It is also easy, and affordable to invest in technology to collect, filter and use rain water. This can provide outstanding benefits for those looking to increase their self-sufficiency and cut their water dependence.

3. Do Your Science Homework
Particularly important when carrying out any major building redevelopments, or new builds, is understanding the energy efficiency levels of the materials you use. Gone are the days when you could choose a material purely because it matched your curtains. Although, it’s worth pointing out that modern technology means that we often don’t have to sacrifice style for efficiency. Certain materials, such as ‘straw’, have been used for hundreds of years and offer a fantastic way to insulate your property. It’s also considerably cheaper than many ‘modern’ man made insulation materials. Know what you want from your building materials and be sure to research their properties. Knowledge is still King!

4. New Builds: The Answer is Blowing in the Wind
There are many details that will affect your energy efficiency, most of which you will have probably never considered before. And why would you? It’s not every day that we build a eco-home. Not many people know that what climate zone you’re in can be utilised by implementing appropriate design elements to condition and heat the home. If you are in the pre-build stage then good orientation (building your house in the right direction) increases the energy efficiency of a home by up to 40%. If your home is already built than implementing new features such as skylights can be very effective. Skylights can provide more than three times as much light as a vertical window and can be used to heat a home. This means you can cut cut both your heating and lighting bills.

5. Grow Your Own
The first thing most people think of when you mention self sustainability is ‘growing your own food’. It’s true, if you can grow your own fruit and vegetables, you are miles ahead in terms of living a sustainable lifestyle. The problem with this is that people assume they need a huge garden and loads of sun to be successful. It’s not true. Modern hydroponic systems allow you to utilise inside spaces, such as windowsills and conservatories. The outside of your home is an extension of your interior and what better way to make it work for you then hydrophonic gardening. Hydroponics is a system that grows any produce in small spaces, including window sills and spaces near a light source. If you can grow your own vegetables and herbs then you are one step closer to becoming fully self sustainable. The goal is not to be 100% self sufficient. Instead, you should focus on doing what you can to be more self sustainable that before. If everybody on earth did the same thing, things would be in much better shape.

We are neighbours in a quiet residential area of Bishopstoke, Hampshire and we both have young families. Sadhbh moved to the area in 2010 and one of the first things she saw was Sophie’s children Felix (8), Leo (5), Yasmin (2) dressed up as tigers! Sadhbh said, ‘I knew this was a family I wanted to meet and I was delighted when Sophie, Chris and the kids called round to welcome us to the street’. However, it wasn’t until Sophie and Sadhbh started going to yoga classes together that they got to know each other better and learnt about yoga, parenting and creativity along the way.

Sophie, a lecturer in Criminology says, ‘Yoga is my tonic in life. It is a hobby that I have dipped in and out of for the last eleven years. Although there have been busy periods in that time when I haven’t joined a class for a while, I always seem to go back to it, especially during pregnancy and after birth. This may seem a little odd as these are no doubt very busy times – but the classes always had the amazing effect of centring me — putting things into perspective, giving me a chance to have some relaxation time for myself but at the same time energizing me for the week ahead!’

For Sadhbh who works part-time as a copy editor, yoga is an invaluable tool to find peace and relaxation as well as friendship. ‘For me, my yoga class is a central part of my week. It brings my focus back to my breathing and to what is important in life. But I am a terribly lazy person and I find that having a friend like Sophie to knock on my door and drag me to class is simply wonderful. And my yoga class starts on the walk to the local sports centre. We discuss what we’ve done the week before and we inevitably turn to the subject of families, the funny things our children do and the general insanity of parenthood. ‘Tara asked me to get her a unicorn today’ (me). ‘Leo is pretending to be a meerkat’ (Sophie). Sophie’s kids are older than mine and she is my go-to-parent when I have a question. The nice thing about having a friend with older children is that you trust their experiences and when they say ‘yes, Felix did the same thing’ you instantly breathe a sigh of relief. Because they are your friend they are diplomatic and say things like ‘well, we didn’t exactly experience that’ when your child does something off that wall. And I feel that going to yoga together has really developed our friendship. I feel I can tell Sophie anything.’

Sophie agrees. ‘I think there are times in your life when you meet people who become your friend whom you ‘click’ with from the very start. In 2010 I met two significant women — Laura Fisher our yoga teacher who has the amazing ability to be very perceptive and is able to tune in to what you need from a class each week and my yoga buddy Sadhbh. It is great for me to have a friend who has the same parenting values and view on life and both understand the importance of our time for ourselves when we choose to go to yoga. Yoga gives us the time and space to recharge our energy that we need for our young families. But it is so much more than relaxation — it gives us physical challenges which in turn boosts self confidence in our abilities and enables us to reflect on how we are balancing things in our life at that moment. Are we pushing too hard or are we not facing up to a new challenge?

On our walk home from yoga (dodging the traffic and the dog poo) we are both blissed out and achy which is not quite that bad. It’s always good to rediscover parts of your body that haven’t seen exercise in a while. And, of course, we say how much we want to practise our yoga more but it often doesn’t happen. There is something very comforting in knowing that you have a yoga buddy who will encourage your and laugh if you don’t get round to your overambitious target of three hours of yoga before breakfast.
Our joint enthusiasm for yoga has now led to us forming a club for the other passion in our life — writing. We both wanted to write and our yoga-inspired conversations have led us to form ‘Ladies Literary Circle’ (the lovely if slightly sardonic title given to us by Sophie’s husband Chris). This is basically an excuse to meet every Monday morning and while we mostly drink coffee and stop our children from terrorizing Sophie’s dog Nuri we sometimes get round to writing. Although we both benefit from a natter to de-brief about the week before, this time does have the effect of encouraging us both to keep writing. What we hadn’t realised until very recently was that writing and yoga are very much connected. Self-reflection or Svadhyaya is a key part of yoga as well as the poses and writing is a perfect way of reflecting about one’s thoughts, perspectives and actions. To be reflective is essential in order to move forward in the yoga journey. Laura ends her yoga class with a quote and we like to reflect on these quotes to explain our actions or difficulties that we may be having in our lives such as problems with our work or family. Our lives tend to be so ‘now’, so pressurised that the hour session of yoga a week gives us an opportunity to contemplate and translate that contemplation into our parenting and our writing. We may never write best sellers but our yoga-inspired journey into creativity has been a very positive influence on our lives and our families. Who would have thought a weekly yoga class could give so much?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Sadhbh O’Dwyer is a copy editor. She is originally from a small rural village in Ireland but has lived and worked in many different places including a Japanese secondary school and a French fast food restaurant. She lives in Hampshire with her husband Marcus and their two children Tara (4) and George (1). She writes at www.niceirishlady.wordpress.com.

Sophia Armstrong is a lecturer and barrister. She spent her childhood in Bahrain and loves Middle Eastern food. Her hobbies include yoga, walking and woodwork. She lives in Hampshire with her husband Chris and their children Felix (8), Leo (5) and Yasmin (2). Read about Sophie’s year of not spending money at www.roundayearonashoestring.blogspot.co.uk.

Conceived in Austria more than 20 years ago, natural swimming pools are now in demand all over the world. A natural pool is an inspiring and healthier alternative to a conventional swimming pool and a beautiful addition to a garden – even in winter, when a conventional pool can become an eyesore. It stays clean without any chemical treatment, its natural cleaning system emulating the regeneration process of a healthy pond. The result is a serene swimming environment which is also a working aquatic garden. This seamless blending of environments makes a natural pool unique; being surrounded by plants as you swim creates a very special kind of mood.

A typical private pool is a minimum of 50 square metres and features one body of water separated into two zones, one for swimming and one for cleaning. The regeneration zone, in which all the biological cleaning takes place, contains marsh and water plants in a bed of gravel, minerals and loamy sand. The plants create a habitat for the micro-organisms which keep the water clean and break down potential pollutants, while the gravel bed acts as a natural filter. Natural swimming pools are typically built from eco-friendly materials, and they provide a protected habitat for wildlife including amphibians, insects like dragonflies, and many species of birds.

Natural benefits
The environmental advantages of natural swimming pools are huge, and there are also major financial savings. No chemicals are required, maintenance is cheaper, there are huge savings on water as, unlike conventional pools, natural pools do not have to be emptied every year, and artificial heating is not needed. Because the shallow warmer water of the regeneration zone circulates with the cooler deeper water of the swimming zone, the water temperature rises much more quickly than in a conventional pool. It is therefore possible to go swimming much earlier in the year.

With the emphasis today on a more holistic lifestyle which incorporates organic food and alternative medicine, it makes absolute sense to choose to swim in natural water. The chlorine used in conventional pools is a skin irritant, associated with conditions such as eczema, and has also been documented to aggravate asthma. Chlorinated water also contains chemical compounds called trihalomethanes, which are carcinogenic.

Natural swimming pools are especially good for families with children. In addition to the reassurance of knowing that they are swimming in non-chemical water, natural pools are also much more inspiring places for children to swim and play than conventional pools. A natural pool, complete with beach, boulders, rock pools and shallow areas, is an environment that will keep them entertained for hours, both in and out of the water, and they love to celebrate special days in summer with a pool party. They are fascinated by the wildlife in a natural pool, and will enjoy using it as a resource for pond dipping and wildlife watching even when it is too cold for swimming. Safety is of course paramount, but having a natural pool in their garden will mean that children will quickly learn to swim and be confident in water.

The natural system has many other benefits. You get not just a swimming pool but a complete water garden which is beautiful all year round and which provides a wonderful habitat for wildlife. Many species are endangered as a result of the destruction of aquatic habitats, so natural swimming pools have an important ecological role to play. The water is clear but not sterilised, as in a traditional pool, so natural swimming pools provide an attractive biosphere for various kinds of wildlife. They play host to the normal range of pond life, from microscopic organisms to invertebrates to frogs and toads, and their presence is a good indicator of the fact that the natural system is working effectively. They stay mostly in the regeneration zone, which serves them well with food and shelter.

Water gardens
The plants in the regeneration zone are essential to the correct biological functioning of the system, and while technical factors are paramount in the selection of plants, aesthetics also play an important part. It is best to choose plants which do not require any special feeding so that they will use up the nutrients in the water as quickly as possible, but the wide range of aquatic plants available provides the opportunity to create a wonderful water garden.

Some conventional pools are elegantly designed, but most are visually uninspiring. In winter most are emptied and covered over, making an intrusive impact on the garden scene. A natural swimming pool, on the other hand, is an attractive garden feature all year round. While estate agents routinely warn householders that a conventional pool cannot be expected to add value to their home – potential buyers may view it as a liability rather than an asset – a natural pool can enhance the appeal of your property.

Creating a natural swimming pool is generally a job for a specialist designer and contractor, but many people have built their own with the help of all the information contained in my books on the subject. As long as there is space within or alongside it to create a regeneration zone, an existing swimming pool can be converted into a natural one. A typical pool takes six to seven weeks to complete; after that it is just sheer bliss.

THOUGHTS FROM A NATURAL POOL OWNER
“Having a natural swimming pool has enriched our lives. While you are separated from the plants, you still feel surrounded by them as you swim. Natural pools are a joy to see and pure bliss in which to swim, and at the same time they provide considerable benefits for wildlife.
Listening to the chorus of the frogs and the birds, hearing the sound of the water falling over rocks and boulders, and seeing the colour of the flowers from spring through to autumn, makes people feel closer to nature.
A natural swimming pool provides you with a very special place to be at any time of day or night, throughout the year. It becomes your very own natural oasis.”

What to read:
Michael Littlewood is a chartered landscape architect and the author of many landscape and gardening publications, including Natural Swimming Pools – Inspiration for Harmony with Nature, Natural Swimming Pools – A Guide for Building and Natural Swimming Pools – Conventional Pool Conversion. These comprehensively illustrated books are an essential resource for anyone considering a natural swimming pool, guiding you through planning, design, biology, materials, construction, planting and maintenance. He has also written a series of four books on Landscape Detailing, including Water, which covers ponds and pools, streams and waterfalls, fountains, edges, bank protection, islands, rafts and jetties.

Want to know more?
Visit www.ecodesignscape.co.uk or call 01460 75515.

Aloe vera is a part of the Lily family (Liliaceae) and probably originated in North Africa, although it will grow anywhere with a suitable subtropical or tropical climate, including on my kitchen window sill. There are around 500 species of Aloe, but it is Aloe vera we are most familiar with for its medicinal uses. Rather confusingly, it has a large number of synonyms. Its most frequently used alternative botanical name is Aloe barbadensis, and this is the version that occurs on much packaging of products in health food shops. Common names include Chinese Aloe, Indian Aloe, Burn Aloe and First Aid Plant. These last two names give a huge clue as to some of Aloe’s special properties.

The use of Aloe has an ancient pedigree which goes back thousands of years. We know that the legendary beauty Cleopatra used the fresh gel from the leaves to keep her skin soft and young. The ancient Egyptians also used the gel to treat burns, a tradition which persists into the modern day and which is why Aloe is found in many of our kitchens. For small, minor burns my first aid routine comprises a couple of minutes under a cold tap, then a slather of Aloe gel – hey presto, no blisters and no scars. Research has also been conducted into its use as an antifungal, an anti-inflammatory, as a treatment for non-insulin dependent diabetes, and for post-operative pain and healing. I used it, mixed with a drop of tea tree oil, for my own post-caesarean wound and experienced very little itching and irritation. Seven weeks on I have a nice clean scar which is fading well.

The well documented benefit to skin health and healing is the reason we look for its inclusion in all those off-the-shelf products. However, most commercially produced goods are unlikely to contain enough Aloe gel for any major effects to be noticed by the consumer. For any product, it’s always worth reading the label. The further down the list of ingredients the Aloe is, the less of it there is. The principles of homeopathy do not apply to barely-there Aloe in a skin cream, so beware of paying a premium for little or no functional benefits.

Aloe is also gaining popularity for having a potential to improve digestive health. It has certainly been used historically to treat parasites and to fight infection, and improvements in sufferers of IBS and chronic fatigue syndrome have been reported. Aloe is known to contain polysaccharides which stimulate growth and repair, a specific polysaccharide which neutralises the enzymes responsible for damaging the mucosal wall, and mucopolysaccharides which have a host of uses including helping our intestinal flora and lining the gut to keep out toxins. It would seem that the benefits of ingesting Aloe could be as great as its use topically on the skin.

However, before you use any natural product it is always worth considering any risks. Aloe contains a chemical called Aloin just under the surface of the leaf. This is a poison which was used previously to induce vomiting and relieve constipation, but which is now banned due to health concerns over its toxicity. The presence of this chemical makes sense for a juicy and tasty-looking plant attempting to avoid being eaten by grazers. Aloin can also cause contact dermatitis, so the safest way to use Aloe is to check a reputable source for how to extract the gel from the leaf without including the nasty bit, or to buy it from a company that has done the work for you.

Aloe gel is available from health food stores and is indispensible in the home. I kept a pot in the fridge to cool my sore boobs as I was establishing breastfeeding. I’ve also found it invaluable for treating my family’s minor skin problems, such as bites and stings, sun exposure, rashes, and even for keeping two little bottoms soft and soothed.

Marianne Hopwood BSc is an Environmental Science teacher and mum to 2 year old Ollie and new baby Toby

References
http://www.iasc.org/articles.html
http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/pow/aloe_vera.htm
http://www.globalherbalsupplies.com/herb_information/aloe_vera.htm
http://blankees.com/house/plants/aloe_b.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera

Simply email us at this address and tell us which festival you’d like to win a family ticket to and why and we’ll enter you into the draw. Closing date for entries is 1st June. Winners will be notified by 8th June.

Hullabaloo (hullabaloofestival.co.uk) is a family friendly festival in the heart of the Cotswolds, from 2-4 June. A unique mix of music with a huge range of children’s activities plus comedy, poetry, crafts, workshops, real ales and more. We have two adult and two child tickets with camping to give away.

Sunrise Celebration Festival (sunrisecelebration.com), from 21 – 24 June is the UKʼs leading sustainable festival. Powered by 100% renewable energy with a site wide organic food and drink policy it has been leading the way in innovative green technology since it’s inception and we have a family ticket to give away.

The eclectic and eccentric musical carnival that is the Cornbury Festival (cornburyfestival.com) takes up residence in Oxfordshire again from 29 June to 1 July. The original Posh-stock festival is eccentric, charming and irresistible – expect Elvis Costello, Jools Holland and Hugh Laurie. We’ve got a family ticket to give away.

Folk by the Oak (folkbytheoak.com) is celebrating its fifth festival this year on 22 July, and will once again be filling Hertfordshire’s beautiful Hatfield Park with equally beautiful folk and acoustic music. We have a family ticket to give away.

Barefoot Festival (barefootfestival.com) is all about getting back to basics, getting grass in between your toes and taking time out from the pressures of modern life! From 27-29 July try something you’ve never done before and meet like minded new friends. We have a family ticket to give away.

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Croissant Neuf Summer Party (croissantneuf.co.uk) from 10-12 Aug is the best kept secret on the UK festival scene, held in the beautiful Welsh countryside. It’s quite simply the best multi-award winning, totally solar powered, environmentally sound, family festival around and we’re offering the chance to win a family ticket.

Wilderness Gathering (wildernessgathering.co.uk), the original Bushcraft Show, from 16-19 Aug brings together families and friends to enjoy a weekend of sharing bushcraft, survival and primitive living skills in a relaxed and family friendly atmosphere. We have a family ticket worth £190 to give away.

A weekend at Shambala (shambalafestival.org) in Northhants from 23-27 Aug is like visiting your favourite dotty great aunt – you don’t quite know what to expect but it will definitely entertain you! To win a family ticket plus car passes (worth £300) tell us what major green award did Shambala win in 2011?

Village Heart Gathering (spirithorse.co.uk) from 23-27 Aug is set amongst waterfalls and wild woods in Wales. Expect four days of exuberant performance, dancing, singing, storytelling, and the chance to relax and let go on deep levels. We have a family ticket for one lucky reader to win.

Sunrise Festival Goes Off Grid – tooling people up with the skills and ideas needed so we can cohabit harmoniously on this planet. We have a family ticket to Sunrise Off Grid (sunrise-offgrid.co.uk), taking place in Somerset from 23-27 Aug to give away to one lucky reader.

The National Forest Wood Fair (nationalforest.org) features plenty of activities and attractions to keep the children busy, from eco art to greenwood crafts, from make your own pizza to scaling the climbing wall on 26 and 27 Aug. We have three family tickets (2 adults and up to 3 children) worth £19 to give away.

Alchemy Festival (alchemyfestival.co.uk) from 21-23 Sept is a family friendly festival set in a wildlife reserve in Lincolnshire. This Autumn Equinox event is totally non commercial, and the three main stages plus smaller stages host over 100 bands and DJs. We have a family ticket to give away.

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Simply tell us in the comments box below which festival you’d like to win a family ticket to and why and we’ll enter you into the draw. Closing date for entries is 1st June. Winners will be notified by 8th June.

Friendship Funday is Save the Children’s biggest fundraising event for schools and youth groups. It’s a great opportunity for children to learn about their global community, while they reflect on the meaning of friendship and how they can make a difference. Whether it’s creating your own pop up shop, doing a ‘round the clock’ skip, making and selling your own greetings cards, shooting a movie or painting a picture, there are loads of exciting and innovative ideas on the Save the Children website. Plus there is a prize for the most creative idea – a visit to your school from renowned children’s illustrator, Nick Sharratt. He has this to say about Friendship Funday: “I love being involved in Friendship Funday and know that you will too. This is your chance to make a real difference for the world’s poorest children. Fundraising is brilliant fun and gives you a great excuse to get together with friends, doing something creative and worthwhile. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.”

Get Crafty!
How about painting a picture or making a mosaic – or shooting your own movie? Your creations could even tell a story about what friendship means to you, or what you have discovered about Save the Children’s work. When you’re done, Save the Children suggest you sell your creations or have a ‘Friendship Exhibition’. This could be held during a parents’ evening or at another time when your school has lots of visitors. You could charge people to see your creations and they may even buy a painting or two!

Money Magic
Choose this challenge and your mission will be to set up a small business to raise money for Save the Children, by selling your own products or service. It takes just one great idea to turn pennies into pounds. The best ones will be simple and popular, so have a think about things everyone likes – and what they cost to make. Maybe you could set up your own cupcake company and sell them at break time to hungry teachers and friends? Or make your own greeting cards, complete with a friendly message inside?

Playtime
Choose this challenge and your mission is to raise vital funds by celebrating your right to play and having fun with your friends. You could bring your favourite game into school or club and make a small donation, or hire a bouncy castle and giant games. More of a team player? Why not organise a sponsored event with friends, like a ‘round the clock’ skip, a football game or a video game night? Alternatively you could design a Save the Children quiz and charge people to take part, or play our ‘Saving Lives’ bingo.

Pop-up Shop
Save the Children have more than 120 permanent shops across the country. Most are run by volunteers who are experts in running charity shops. Choose this challenge and your mission will be set up your own pop-up shop selling donated, second-hand or new goods, or stuff you’ve made yourself. The first thing you’ll need to do is get permission to set up your own shop. There are lots of places where this could work, including your classroom, village hall, playground – even the cupboard under the stairs. You’ll need to think about your stock. What are you going to sell and where will you get it from? You’ll also need to decide whether to collect all different types of stock, or just one type in particular, like CDs, books or toys. If you have an eye for a bargain, take the pop-up shop challenge. The money you raise will help save lives.

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Nettle’s botanical name Urtica dioica comes from the Latin “uro” meaning “I burn”. Nettles have tiny hairs on their leaves and it is these hairs that cause the stinging sensation on human skin. However, the leaves and roots of this potent plant have been used for millennia as a medicinal herb, an edible vegetable, and a strong material for making clothes.

For aches and pains
Today, people use nettles for a wide range of healing, from prostate health through to lactation aid, energy tonic to natural allergy support. A recent study at the University of Plymouth revealed that stings from nettles significantly reduced pain in 85% of arthritis sufferers studied. Though there is a long history of nettles being used for musculoskeletal pain, it now seems the medical world is taking notice. The Alternative Medicine Review states that nettles may help with low back pain, sciatica, sprains, chronic tendonitis and osteoarthritis.

A tonic for the blood
Anaemia has also been successfully treated with nettles, as the leaves contain a high amount of iron. Nettles are renowned for their affinity with the blood, with the leaves containing a large amount of chlorophyll, similar in chemical structure to haemoglobin. To increase the haemoglobin count, they make an excellent tonic for athletes. Drinking nettle tea can be useful for those with diabetes, because they help to regulate blood sugar.

Immunity, allergies and a healthy urinary system
Nettles are also well known for their use with diseases of the urinary system, including prostate problems, infections, inflammations, bed-wetting and incontinence. They are often used when people are detoxing, because of their cleansing effect and support of the liver and spleen. For those troubled by allergies, the anti-inflammatory compounds and flavonoids in nettles reduce the amount of histamine produced in an allergic response. They can also be taken as an immune support as they are jam-packed with vitamins A, C, and D, plus high amounts of iron, potassium, manganese and calcium. There is evidence that the ancient Greeks used nettles for respiratory disorders from coughs through to tuberculosis. Documents also reveal just how long we humans have relied on nettles as a hair tonic – nettles are renowned for promoting healthy, thick, shiny hair. They have been used for hair problems from dandruff through to balding and alopecia.

A woman’s weed
Throughout history, women have used nettles as the perfect female tonic. Native American women use this wonder weed throughout pregnancy and as a remedy to stop haemorrhaging during childbirth. Because of their affinity with the blood, and as an energy tonic, nettles are great for young girls just starting out on their menstruating journey through to menopausal women. Pregnant women can use nettles as an excellent source of vitamin K. Lactating women drink nettle tea because of its milk-boosting properties. Nettles have been used as an aid to fertility and, because of their high mineral content and life-giving properties, are good for both male and female sexual vitality.

And that’s not all…
Nettles are also a great addition to the garden, when kept in check. Ladybirds use them to rear their young, ready to keep aphids off your crops. They attract butterflies and moths, and are a wonderful addition to compost piles. Gardeners have long used nettle in combination with comfrey as a powerful organic fertilizer, giving soil a vitamin and mineral boost. There is evidence dating back to the Bronze Age of nettle stems being used to make a strong, durable fibre, something we are just beginning to rediscover today.

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How best to take them?
First, find a healthy bunch of nettles in an unpolluted area (avoid roadside nettles etc.). Use rubber gloves to pick the young leaves at the top of the plant – spring is the best time to harvest them, before they have flowered.

Nettle Tea
You can use the leaves to make nettle tea – a few leaves washed and steeped in boiling water provide an excellent early spring tonic to revitalise and refresh and to combat problems mentioned above.

Cooking Nettles
Try using them as an alternative to spinach in cooked food – soups, stews, scrambled eggs, curries, quiches etc.

Nettle Infusion
A nettle infusion – nettles steeped in boiled water for 10mins and left to cool – can be used as a hair growth tonic. Keep in the fridge for use on irritated skin too.

Nettle Tincture
Make a nettle tincture by leaving a handful of fresh leaves or two spoons of dried leaves to macerate in half a litre of alcohol for ten days. Use for problems described above and as a blood tonic.

Nettle Juice
Nettle juice can be made using a juicer and is a wonderful immune-boosting and deeply cleansing green drink. Use during a cleanse for health inside and out.

Nettle Vinegar
Add a handful of young, washed nettle leaves to a bottle of apple cider vinegar, leave for a few weeks, then strain. Use as an uplifting salad dressing and in cooking.

Dried roots/leaves
Ground dried roots have been used in clinical trials for prostate problems. Dried leaves can be added to food, including pet food for cats and dogs for digestive health, and chicken feed for healthy poultry.

Recipe – Robb’s Nettle Spanakopita
This is basically the traditional Greek spinach pie substituting nettles for spinach for a power-packed, delicious and energising dinner. If using shop-bought pastry, remember it needs to stand at room temperature for a few hours prior to cooking.

Pack of filo/puff pastry (or you can make your own pastry)
200g feta cheese
1 carrier bag of fresh young nettle leaves, chopped fairly small (wear gloves!!)
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic
Handful of fresh herbs – parsley or dill work well
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 spring onions, chopped
Butter, for cooking and greasing

1). Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Wash and drain the chopped nettles.
2). Heat the butter in a pan and lightly cook the onions, garlic and green onions until soft.
3). Add the nettles and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until wilted. Add the herbs and season with salt and pepper.
4). Remove from heat and leave to cool.
5). In a separate bowl, mix together the feta and eggs. When the nettle mixture is cooled, stir in.
6). Roll out half the pastry. In a greased pie dish, arrange the pastry so that it just overlaps the sides. If using filo pastry, remember to brush each sheet with melted butter/olive oil as you lay it in the dish.
7). Place the nettle and feta mixture on top of the pastry and even out. Roll out the remaining pastry and use to cover your pie, sealing the edges with melted butter/ olive oil.
8). Cook for 30-35 minutes until top is golden brown.

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Camping is the perfect opportunity to spend time closer to nature and one another: listening to birdsong; building a fire and cooking over it; exploring the surrounding countryside; stargazing; telling campfire stories; whittling; foraging; spotting wildlife and curling up together – all perfect things to do with Dad. Whether you decide to try out one of the campsites below, or just to pitch a tent in the garden, why not spend an off-grid Father’s Day sharing special experiences together.

Plan-it Earth , Penzance
Winners of a gold Green Tourism badge, Plan-it Earth offers a great space for wild camping – in their peaceful woodland field. Complete with wood-burning shower cabin, compost toilet, herons, barn owls, bats and space for you to have your own camp fire, there’s even bell tents to hire if you don’t have a tent. Camping with your own tent is £5 per person per night. Check out their website for other exciting things happening on site, including green education.

Hidden Valley Yurts, Monmouthshire
Quite literally hidden away from the rest of the world by beautiful trees and situated by a gurgling stream (pictured), you can really feel close to nature in one of these yurts. There are five altogether, two sleeping five and the other three accommodating up to seven. With walls made from pure sheep’s wool, wood-burning stoves and kindling provided, you’ll have a magical break even if this rainy weather continues! There are beds, rugs and wall-hangings to make these yurts feel like a home from home in glorious countryside.

Rubha Phoil Eco Camping, Isle of Skye
With ten secluded tent pitches offering fantastic woodland and coastal views, this is truly a place to hide away. This peaceful campsite situated in woodland maintained to permaculture principles allows visitors to stay on this beautiful peninsula with minimal impact on the magnificent natural habitat. There’s even a bothy, beach cave, wildlife hide and forest garden walk to explore.

Lundy Island, off the Devon coast
Lundy lies off the coast of North Devon, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel with nothing between it and America. It’s a granite outcrop, three and a half miles long and half a mile wide. In the hubbub of the modern world it is a place apart, peaceful and unspoilt. If it’s star-gazing and bird-watching you’re after, this is the place to escape to. Call the Lundy shore office on 01271 863636 to ask about camping on the island.

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There’s plenty to get your teeth into at this year’s Great British Food Festival, celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a feast of British fare. Don your apron and get baking and you might just win the Cake Off! Set in the grounds of the historic Walton Hall, Warrington, this is the perfect recipe for a foodie fun day out for the family. Entrance is just £2.50 and under 12s are free. There’s also lots for little folks to do, from traditional games to biscuit icing, plus a chance to win the bunting competition. And if the thought of solely British food doesn’t tickle your fancy, this festival is a celebration of our unique cultural heritage so there’s food from around the world to sample, enjoy and buy. The festival is raising money for local charity for disabled children, Rainbow House.

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